


Summer Memories

by regie027



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Family, Festivals, Flashbacks, Forgiveness, Friendship, Gen, Light Angst, Metal City Clan, Redemption, Summer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-14
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:40:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27540934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/regie027/pseuds/regie027
Summary: Republic City rises like a phoenix from the ashes after the Earth Empire's invasion, and it's none other than the Empire's own commander who now seeks redemption by working in the reconstruction effort. Summer brings with its warmth the joy of festivals and friendship, giving the opportunity to former foes Korra and Kuvira to bond and for Kuvira to reminiscence on more peaceful, innocent days. My humble contribution to A Season of Change, a Kuvira Zine.
Relationships: Korra & Kuvira (Avatar)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	Summer Memories

Zaofu

Many summers ago

_ The little girl sat timidly at a corner of the large blanket, glancing discreetly at the elegant lady that had welcomed her to her new home. The woman was now busy tracking down her five children who had scattered to the four winds to explore and play at the park. Even the toddlers of the group, the twins, managed to momentarily slip away from their parents’ vigilant gazes and now their mom leaped into action to bring them back. Kuvira had decided to stay put, observing the families that had gathered to enjoy the summer festival festivities with wide-eyed curiosity. The little girl wasn’t sure if she had been to a festival like this before and if she had, she must have been younger than her present eight-year-old self because she couldn’t recall any memories of summer treats and happy families coming together to enjoy the day. _

_ A warm, pleasant day was coming to a close as the sun slowly began its descent. Suyin Beifong; that was the elegant lady’s name and her husband, a mild-mannered man named Baatar, were finally settling over the blanket with their kids, each adult carrying a dirty-faced twin in tow. The grown-ups mentioned something about a show that was about to start and that had been enough encouragement to bring the older kids rushing back to their spot near a serene-looking lake.  _

_ Hours earlier, they had walked through rows of food stalls, delighting in the sweet and savory smells and tastes of the summer culinary fare. The eldest child of the Beifongs timidly offered to share his cotton candy with Kuvira, but she refused almost in reflex, not sure if the offer was genuine or just a prank to get a rise out of her. After all, she was just an outsider, an interloper so she had braced herself for all sorts of mistreatment from the other children, whom she feared might not approve of having yet another kid to compete with for their busy parents’ attention. The boy, named Baatar after his dad (although everybody called him Junior) glanced at her with a dejected look until Suyin intervened, sharing some of her own pink colored cotton candy with both children. On the first bite, the soft concoction melted in Kuvira’s mouth. The cautious expression disappeared from her face. Her eyes opened wide and she let out a happy exclamation. It was the first time she had sampled the treat and as she offered Suyin an approving smile, she was sure she had not tasted anything so sweet before.  _

_ At his mother’s behest, Baatar ventured to offer some of his own again, colored blue instead of pink and this time, Kuvira gingerly accepted. His apprehensive visage gave way to a timid smile when she nodded at his choice of flavor, but then her attention was whisked away in favor of a fish scooping booth. The younger Baatar’s lips were about to curl into a pout when all of a sudden, he sensed Kuvira’s hand, still sticky from the cotton candy, curling around his as she pulled his arm in a gesture to follow her. He glanced at his mother with a hesitant look and she nodded back at him, chuckling lightly as she observed the children sneak through the crowd towards the fish scooping booth. The rest of the afternoon dissolved in a blur of amusement games, lively music, and many more new yummy things for Kuvira to savor. By the time the girl had plopped over the blanket with a full stomach and ten new favorite food items, she had found it strange that people around them seemed to be just sitting around as if waiting for something. The gazebos were now empty as well as the stage in front of the lake, but Suyin had assured the child that the best of the day was yet to come. _

_ And then it happened. When the sun faded away and the moon began its ascent, the sky began to fill with colors. Flashes of red, of green, of gold shimmered across the deep blue-black canvas. Kuvira stood up, her green gaze lifting to capture the sight, captivated by the shimmering of the myriad of hues strewn over the firmament. Kuvira had first been awestruck by the almost impossible vision of a city with glistening metallic domes that seem to defy gravity and the laws of nature. Then by the labyrinthine mansion she was instructed to call home now. But now she stood mouth agape watching the dance of the fireworks as they asserted their presence with a high pitched whistle to then suddenly burst in an explosion of bright colors across the darkened night sky. The air filled with the smell of powder and she caught with the corner of her eye little Opal jumping with every blast that propelled a rocket with a long smoky trail to the air. _

_ Before this spectacle, the only other thing that had genuinely captured Kuvira’s attention was the incredible ways her new caregiver and teacher Suyin could manipulate metal. Her new mentor had shown her how she could beckon strange-looking rocks to move to her will as if they were alive with just a wriggle of her hands. But for the moment, the seemingly wondrous ways metal could be shaped were vacated from Kuvira’s mind and all she could see now was the display of color that elicited awestruck gasps from her. She tilted her head to the side and noticed Suyin’s soft olive eyes gazing at her approvingly, a warm smile adorning her elegant features. She was holding one of the twins on her lap as the child jumped and squirmed in glee with every rocket blasting towards the heavens. Kuvira felt her face heat up all of a sudden by the attention but managed a sheepish smile of her own before returning her attention towards the sky. _

_ Up until this day, Kuvira’s memories were bereft of many she could consider truly joyful ones. Perhaps now with a new home and a new family that was about to change. As she watched the last of the fireworks fizzle and dissolve leaving a trail of gold and silver glitter behind and a hand that gently ran down her messy braid, the little girl felt a spark of warm golden light ignite within her. Maybe this is what happiness was supposed to feel. _

-oOo-

Republic City, United Republic of Nations

Present Day

Summer with its hotter and longer days was in full force today. The Republic City weather bureau forecasted a clear day and temperature was expected to soar past previous years’ records. The sweltering heat and the smothering humidity could be easily noticed in the sweat drops beading over the laborers’ foreheads and in their soaked coveralls. Kuvira could feel her undershirt already sticking to her torso and it wasn’t noon yet. She shielded her eyes as she lifted her gaze towards the sky. The sun was shining bright and unrelenting and the workers were already seeking refuge from its darts under every makeshift shade available.

Some of the workers were already jittery due to their closeness to thicker spirit vines in this city block but nerves or not, it was imperative they cleared out this segment. They were making way for the new bridge for a sleek state of the art train to connect the city more efficiently. Kuvira pushed loose tendrils of hair away as she stared at the stubborn beams that the metalbending team was attempting to move. The structural engineers had warned them to go slow and steady on this particular section to avoid any sudden collapses so her team was approaching the job with extreme caution. She walked over the scaffolding scanning the structure, searching for a solution to this situation before their scheduled midday break. The metalbender unfurled the blueprint she was carrying and after minutes of studying it, the proverbial lightbulb flashed on her mind providing the answer to her conundrum.

Moments later, her team was witnessing the reason why the former Great Uniter, presently released under parole, had been designated as the lead metalbender for their civil works team. After months of bitter debate and heated public discussion, the Republic City council finally acquiesced to allow the deposed dictator to leave prison to work for the reconstruction effort. After years of collaborating with the authorities and displaying model behavior while serving her sentence, many felt the inmate’s talents were being wasted away behind bars and the city her forces once wrecked still required plenty of work to return it to its former splendor. 

A precedent had already been established: former Future Industries magnate and notorious ex Equalist Hiroshi Sato had been released to assist in the defense of the city under siege. The irony hadn’t been lost on Kuvira when her legal counselor gave her the news. The day the large prison doors closed behind her, conflicting emotions had been colliding inside her. Many had expected the deposed tyrant to emerge from confinement in a triumphant, even smug fashion. Instead, a considerably paler and taciturn Kuvira addressed the press and bystanders with a courteous nod and a faraway look in her eyes before being taken away to begin her new duties. That had been months ago and since then, Kuvira had completely dedicated herself to her new job, grateful to have been given a sense of purpose again and she was determined to make the most out of it.

Kuvira cracked her knuckles and after taking a deep breath, she acquired a firm stance from her vantage point at the top layer of the scaffolding. Her eyebrows furrowed and the surface under her boot soles trembled. A metallic roaring sound like a wounded beast erupted as she began ripping out the colossal beams, maneuvering them one by one with the precise combination of sheer strength and gracefulness befitting a master. 

Once taken out, a ground team would in turn, retrieve and move the beams away. The metalbending relay began in earnest and trails of sweat slipped down her neck by the time she'd successfully removed the girder and with that, the team completed the tasks they had for the day in half the time they had originally allotted. 

When Kuvira came down, she was welcomed by a round of applause from her team both for the masterful display and for the fact that they were already done with the hardest part of their workday, which meant finishing the workday early. A break was officially announced by the foreman and after splashing her face and arms with cool water, she was heading out to join the team at the canteen trailer when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

“That was quite the spectacle you gave there. Pretty ingenious too.”

The metalbender turned around and greeted the newcomer amiably. “Good day Avatar Korra and thank you. It was nothing. We do this type of thing all the time in Zaofu.”

“I could tell. You didn’t even flinch moving those huge crossbeams” the Avatar replied as she slipped down from her polar bear dog’s back.

Kuvira let out a small smile. Not every day one could find the Avatar complimenting a former enemy and if her presence alone hadn’t been enough to stir her work colleagues’ attention, the conversation certainly did.

“So what brings you to this worksite today? I’m aware this is a spirit vine heavy area but we’ve been very careful. The team airbenders have been a lot of help too, surveilling the area before we do anything and there has been no spirit sighting on site.”

“I bet they have. The situation with the spirits has improved a lot since they’ve been taking care of maintaining peace between spirits and humans. But that’s not what brings me here today,” Korra replied with a grin.

The metalbender arched an eyebrow questioningly. The Avatar stared at her in dismay.

“Don’t tell me you forgot!”

Kuvira looked at Korra positively befuddled. One could almost hear the gears inside her mind working overtime attempting to fill the gap in her memory. So far the effort seemed unsuccessful judging by the blank expression on her face.

“I’m afraid I don’t follow you Avatar Korra.”

The Avatar slapped her forehead with her palm in frustration. 

“You really forgot! So much for that great memory of yours.”

Kuvira blinked twice. Her mind was uncharacteristically drawing a blank. 

“The deal, remember? We’ve made a deal when your release was approved.”

The metalbender knitted her brows together, her expression one of mild confusion as if struggling to make sense of what Korra was saying.

“Was there another deal besides this? I’m pretty sure everything has been going according to plan so far. I know you had a lot to do with making this opportunity a reality and I can’t thank you enough…”

Korra let out a sigh and Kuvira paused.

“Avatar Korra?”

Korra rested a hand over the metalbender’s shoulder and offered a conciliatory smile. 

“It’s okay. After all the boring paperwork stuff was done, we had a short chat. I think you were overwhelmed with the whole situation because you looked a little off. Maybe that’s why you can’t remember now what we talked about.”

Kuvira’s face suddenly lit in acknowledgment. “Now that you mention it, we did talk but I didn’t think…” her voice trailed off.

“Didn’t think about what?” inquired Korra.

“I didn’t think it was a  _ thing _ . I believed it was something to motivate me but I wasn’t really expecting for you to...you know…I mean, it was just a two, three-minute chat at most…” Kuvira was stammering, obviously uncomfortable by the turn the conversation was taking.

“Didn’t think I was being serious or that I wouldn't honor my end of the deal? Jeez, I’m disappointed,” the Avatar retorted with a pout hanging on her lips and arms crossed tightly across her chest.

Kuvira’s cheeks’ turned into a shade of red. “It’s not that! It’s just that after all that’s happened I didn’t want to build my expectations too high. I’m still under custody and I’m quite aware a lot of people balked and protested at the decision to grant me limited release to work for the reconstruction effort. For many, I remain their loathed enemy and no amount of good deeds might make up for what I did.”

Korra stared at the former military leader with an indescribable expression in her eyes. Naga lowered her head and rubbed her snout against the Avatar’s arm and she proceeded to scratch the polar bear dog’s head vigorously until she barked in satisfaction with her owner’s attention.

“I see. I should have thought of that, but I’m not like those people. For one I agreed wholeheartedly with Zhu Li’s decision to put your talent to use. And I still believe what I told you at the Spirit World.

Kuvira glanced stunned at the Avatar at the mention of the emotional exchange they shared at the Spirit World right before her surrender. Her mind snapped back to that fateful day that marked both an end and a beginning to her life as she had known it. 

“You do?”

“Why do you think I visited you in prison? Why do you think I advocated on your behalf for this opportunity? I did so because I believed that you truly regretted your mistakes and wanted to do something about it.”

“I shouldn’t have doubted you Avatar Korra,” the former Zaofu captain replied apologetically.

“Korra is fine. We’ve talked about this too you know” she retorted with an amused grin. “Avatar Korra sounds too formal and stuffy for my liking.”

Kuvira chuckled. “Sorry, force of habit. Besides, I didn’t want to give the wrong impression in public.”

“It’s okay. Most people here are used to my informality anyway. So, it seems you guys are pretty much done here. It makes what I came here to do much easier. Who’s in charge here?”

“The site manager, Yun. He’s at his lunch break right now at that trailer over there.” Kuvira pointed to the trailer that served as the on-site office for the manager. “Why?”

“Leave the details to me. So, you remembered what our deal was right?”

“Time off in exchange for good behavior. I think you mentioned something about sightseeing but I’m not sure.”

Korra nodded with a chuckle. “I did.” Something made her pause. Her glance went over the metalbender and made a quick visual inspection, noticing the stained work clothes and frowned. 

“Do you happen to have a change of clothes? Because what you’re wearing right now won’t cut it for what I have in mind.”

“Not really. I usually go straight to the detention facility once the workday is over. If I had known you were coming I would have prepared for the occasion,” Kuvira replied with a subtle grin.

Korra opened her eyes wide before offering an apologetic smile. It seemed Kuvira wasn’t the only one having a case of temporary forgetfulness.

“You have just made an excellent point there but it’s too late now. It took me forever to get an authorization letter from Zhu Li. Who would have thought issuing a simple letter would have taken me half the morning? I wanted to make it here earlier but I had to wait around to pull Bolin out from a meeting to get it.” Korra looked positively fed up with the bureaucratic process. 

Now it was Kuvira’s turn to smirk. “I would have warned you about it if I had known you planned to make good on our deal today. I believe I know a thing or two about how government and bureaucracy works.”

“I’m sorry I ended up shorting hours from your day off. Promise I’ll get you another day one! You’ve earned it.”

“That’s okay. I’m responsible for the destruction in the first place. It’s only fair that I do something to correct the situation.”

“And from what I’ve been told by Asami and Bo, you’ve been following through your end of the deal outstandingly. Now let me talk to the manager before we lose more daylight. Naga, you stay here with Kuvira. I’ll be right back soon, okay?”

Naga barked loudly in response, making a couple of workers that were close by yelp and leap simultaneously, immediately putting as much distance between them and the huge animal as possible. Korra exchanged an amused glance with Kuvira before heading towards the manager’s trailer. The metalbender was still chuckling inwardly when she felt a huge shadow loom over her. When she peered up, she realized that Naga’s enormous nose was hovering over her head. Kuvira involuntarily swallowed hard while the animal sniffed at her with apparent curiosity.

“Nice little polar doggie…” the metalbender murmured shakily as she stood still for the longest time, gazing at each of the beast’s front paws and then at the massive strong jaw. Cold sweat began gathering over her brow. Naga lowered her head and Kuvira extended an open palm, hoping the Avatar’s pet wasn’t assessing her as an alternative for a quick snack.

“Aaww, Naga wants to be friends with you,” exclaimed Korra upon her return.

“Are you sure about that?” Kuvira replied, allowing herself to breathe normally again when Naga switched her attention towards her owner.

“Naga looks fierce but she’s really a softie,” Korra affirmed confidently as she patted her head. The polar bear dog had ceased her assessment of Kuvira and now was busy gobbling up the treats that the Avatar took from her pocket.

“That’s reassuring...I think,” retorted Kuvira as she eyed Naga skeptically. She remembered how the usually confident Zaofu guards were rendered speechless when they saw the Avatar’s companion up close and personal upon their arrival to the domed city years ago. Her duties as captain had kept her away from Korra’s party most of the time and Zaheer had been clever enough to render Naga out of commission with the shirshu-spit darts so they never got to witness her ferocity unleashed on the attackers.

“You have nothing to fear,” Korra asserted, noticing the doubtful expression in Kuvira’s face. “Well, time to go. Ready?” the Avatar exclaimed as she leaped over Naga and extended an arm towards Kuvira.

“Wait, does this mean that…? Is it safe…?” the metalbender inquired as she stared at Korra and Naga for an instant.

“How did you think we were going to travel? Believe me, this is way safer than me behind the wheel of a satomobile. Come on, I still have to figure out what to do about your clothes.”

Kuvira let out a sigh and clasped Korra’s hand. She had barely sat down when Naga began careening down the streets of Republic City with a swift and surefooted pace, making heads turn along the way. The Avatar and her four-legged companion weren’t unusual sights at the city anymore but they still captured the citizens' attention whenever they appeared together.

“What do you have in mind?” Kuvira yelled as she did her best to hold on to the mount. Korra couldn’t help but chuckle at the unusual higher pitch in the metalbender’s voice. On her two feet firmly placed above ground the woman was quite formidable but it seemed that a breakneck pace ride on the back of a polar bear dog brought up the metalbender’s more cautious nature.

“I’ll tell you when we make it to our first destination!” hollered Korra as she instructed Naga to take a sharp turn left which allowed them to avoid colliding with an incoming satomobile at the nick of time.

Many sharp turns and leaps later, a smiling Korra and a noticeably paler Kuvira finally made it to an impressive mansion at the fanciest and most exclusive sector of the city.

“I don’t think Asami would mind if I lend you some of her clothes for the occasion,” Korra said as she entered the mansion with the former captain in tow.

“Are you sure about this? Why don’t we just drop by the detention center so I can change there?”

“Nah, we’re already here. Besides, Asami won’t know because she’s on a business trip at the Fire Nation and even if she were, she wouldn’t be upset.”

Kuvira remained silent but the expression on her face was one of pained incredulity. Korra and Asami Sato were a couple now but not even the Avatar could presume to know her romantic partner’s every thought, especially on the thorny subject that elicited Kuvira’s profound discomfort. The debt Kuvira owed the industrialist was impossible to repay, a fact that would always end up gnawing at her insides.

Korra didn’t need to be a mind reader to know exactly what was going through the metalbender’s mind. “Asami not only agreed with the decision to allow you conditional release from prison, she also approved of my idea of a day off,” Korra affirmed as she guided Kuvira up a flight of stairs that led to the rooms.

“She did?” Kuvira sounded genuinely surprised.

“Hopefully the next time we do this, Asami will have the chance to explain it herself.”

“I would like that,” Kuvira admitted, feeling some of the heaviness that had settled over her chest starting to wane.

Korra replied with a small smile and after making it to the end of the corridor, she opened the door to a spacious walk-in closet.

“Here we are. We should find something that fits you.”

Finding "something” felt like an understatement. Not only was the closet easily bigger than the maximum-security cell that had been her home for the initial period of her incarceration, but it was also packed from front to back with outfits and shoes for any and every occasion conceivable, the color red in different shades being the predominant hue. In between the sea of red, an odd blue garment would stick out here and there. It was evident that the Avatar had moved into the mansion and the thought made Kuvira smile inwardly. She was sincerely happy Korra had found happiness after all the trials she’d endured.

“I just hope I do find something before I get lost in here.”

Korra snickered. It seemed she wasn’t the only one that found her girlfriend’s closet a tad excessive regarding size. Or amount of clothes. Asami’s closet could easily double as a fashion boutique but she looked good in all of them. A couple of minu tes pa ssed by and Kuvira was still staring at the garments, apparently unable to make a decision. When she noticed the indecision painted on the metalbender’s face, the Avatar warned:

“You better choose quickly if you want to enjoy the best Southern Water tribe noodles you can get without having to travel to the Southern Water tribe to get them.”

-oOo-

It was past noon and Narook's Seaweed Noodlery was bustling with customers. It seemed Korra had the forethought of making reservations because as soon as they arrived, they were seated and big, steaming bowls of seaweed noodles were quickly served. After noticing that all the servers waved at Korra whenever they passed her by and that the owner himself came to greet them, Kuvira concluded that it hadn’t been that she’d made any calls. Being the Avatar (and one from the South Pole to boot) and one of their most loyal customers. It was just that they would make sure she would always have a table available no matter how packed the place was. It was one of those situations in which being the Avatar did have its perks.

“Dig in before your dish gets cold,” Korra admonished with half her mouth full. “You get to taste the full flavor now when they’re just at the right temperature.”

“You do seem to know your noodles well,” the metalbender replied. She inhaled deeply and the pleasant scents arising from the dish made her stomach rumble. Under the Avatar’s scrutinizing gaze, Kuvira gathered her chopsticks and captured a heaping sample of steaming noodles. She brought it to her mouth, taking a moment to savor the tasty intermingling of broth, vegetables, seasonings and noodles.

“So, what do you think?” she asked expectantly. 

“Delicious!” Kuvira affirmed enthusiastically and soon their bowls were quickly emptied, although, by the time Kuvira was halfway through hers, Korra had already finished hers and was beginning to work on a second serving.

“I believe this is the place Bolin kept raving about,” Kuvira commented as she popped a dumpling inside her mouth.

“This place is legendary in Republic City. It was one of the first places Mako and Bolin introduced me to and since then, it has been my favorite for my Southern Water tribe noodles fix. Asami tried to follow the recipe at home but let’s just say that her many talents don’t extend to the kitchen, not that I’m much of a cook either. I assume this is your first time here, right?”

The metalbender nodded. “To be honest, back when I had to travel here on official business, I didn’t have a lot of opportunities for tourism or sightseeing. I was pretty much limited to jumping from one meeting to the other, and so we would end up either dining at our rooms or at the hotel restaurant.”

“Bummer, you sure missed on the fun. Fortunately, now I’m here to fix that.”

Kuvira chuckled as she witnessed how the contents of a third bowl vanished and wondered where she could fit all that food in her body, but then remembered the woman’s prodigious strength and stamina. Probably the refrigerator and the pantry at the mansion were as packed as Asami’s closet to deal with both Korra's and Naga's voracious appetites.

“This was really good. So, can you let me in on your plan now?” The metalbender let out a contented sigh. It had been quite a while since she had a meal so satisfying. Things had improved food wise when she left the maximum-security prison but there was a home-cooked feel in this meal that no prison food could ever fathom to replicate.

Korra grinned as her empty bowl went to join the other two. Her companion’s mood had improved considerably and it had only taken a change of clothes and a good meal. She held high hopes on what was about to follow.

“Okay, now that we have dealt with lunch and you don’t look like you were toiling under the sun anymore…”

“I  _ was _ working under the sun mind you. How else was I going to look?” the metalbender replied as she arched an eyebrow. “We’re lucky your girlfriend had some clothes that fitted me. I think it’s the first time I’ve worn something in red.” After going through a fraction of Asami’s massive wardrobe, the former captain settled on a blouse, vest, and pants combination that surprisingly felt better on her than she'd expected.

“Asami would have probably ended up choosing the same thing for you. Anyway, as I was saying, now that we’ve dealt with those things, our next destination will be downtown. Today is the last day of the city’s summer festival. I hope you left some space for dessert because the food kiosks have some amazing cakes and candied fruit that you just have to try.”

“How can you talk about food when you just finished eating?”

“But that’s different. You’ll see what I mean when we’re there.”

“Now that you mention it, I didn’t realize this is the Summer festival season, at least in the Earth Kingdom it is. When you’re under custody, days just go by without anything to differentiate one from the other. Now that I’m working outside, I have recovered my sense of time again. I missed that." Kuvira’s voice had a wistful lilt.

“I think I understand what you mean. Back when I was recovering from the poisoning, I had to be constantly reminded of what day of the week it was. For me during the first months, being bedridden and unable to move on my own it didn’t make a difference whether it was a Monday or a Saturday. Everything was a blur.”

“Korra, is that why you decided to visit me in prison? I’ve been meaning to ask before but couldn’t make myself to.”

“Why?"

“I feared you might have interpreted as if I didn’t want you visiting anymore."

“I wouldn’t have done such a thing! But to answer your question, it wasn’t something I planned or anything. I just felt it would be good to drop by because you could use the company.”

“I might have not been the most companionable person back then. Thanks for putting up with me.”

“I know how it feels to be away from your family and friends. My first days in Republic City weren’t the most pleasant either. Without going into details, let’s just say that I managed to leave the worst impression in my debut as Avatar here. That’s why every friend I met along the way made a world of difference to me.”

“It looks like those days are long gone. People adore you here. They sure keep you well-fed," the metalbender quipped with a smirk as she pointed at the table and all the empty dishes.

"I work hard for my meals, you know. Anyway, I'm really glad you enjoyed lunch. Now, if you’re finished, how about we go and check on the festival? And don’t worry about your curfew. I convinced Lin to allow you to return past curfew. I don’t want you to miss the best stuff which happens to be during the evening.”

“I wonder how that conversation went.”

“You know how Lin is but in the end, she relented. We might even catch her and Mako while on patrol. It’s not her job anymore but try to tell her that to her face.”

"It doesn’t sound like a good idea." If someone seemed to have inherited Toph Beifong’s legendary temperament, it was without a doubt her eldest daughter.

"Nope. Come, let's get Naga and we'll be on our way."

-oOo-

The sound of faraway music intermingled with the animated chatter of the crowd welcomed them to the part of the city which hosted the summer festival. The multicultural heritage of the city was in full display with many citizens wearing outfits allegorical to their native nations as well as in the amalgam of cuisines in display. No trace of past animosities could be perceived as kiosks from the Fire Nation stood flanked with a Northern Water Tribe at one side and an Earth Kingdom one at the other.

A pang of remorse hit the former commander in the pit of her stomach remembering how precisely old grudges had motivated her failed invasion of the city. It felt like it had been a lifetime ago and maybe it was. The Kuvira that had launched the bold attack that had taken the city by surprise for all intents and purposes didn’t really exist anymore. Instead, her present incarnation was now following the Avatar as she zigzagged through the crowds as if searching for something specific, a task that was curiously facilitated by her animal companion. 

At the sight of the polar bear dog, people instinctively moved to make way for Naga and her owner. Kuvira observed with amusement how the mighty Avatar appeared to have reverted to a younger version of herself as she moved from one food stand to the other and from one game booth to the other in quick succession. Keeping pace with the energetic and enthusiastic Korra wasn’t as easy as she had expected but luckily, the sight of shaved ice convinced Korra of pausing her frantic stride to refresh themselves with a cool, sweet refreshment. The metalbender hadn’t considered the advantages of having a waterbender on tow when eating a frozen treat on a hot summer day until Korra made sure to keep her cone and Kuvira’s frozen enough to avoid it melting over their hands. Kuvira had no choice but to chuckle at the Avatar’s ingenuity and Korra replied with a conspiratorial grin.

Hours seemed to dissolve in a cavalcade of lively music, animated crowds, and many more tasty treats. Kuvira was enjoying a puppet show from an Omashu troupe when Korra tapped her shoulder and gestured to follow her. The last of the sunlight had begun to wane when Naga delivered them to the city’s main pier. The monument to Avatar Aang commanded the sight of Yue Bay brightly illuminated with the colors of the four ethnicities represented on Republic City overlapping each other in a visual representation of unity.

“Korra, aren’t we moving away from the festival?”

“On the contrary, we’re beating the crowds to get the best view for the closing event but we have to hurry if we don’t want to miss anything.”

Kuvira suddenly noticed the speedboat with the distinctive logo of Future Industries among others anchored at the pier. Before she could voice her question, Korra proceeded to quickly board the boat followed by Naga. She had no choice but to follow with an interrogative still hanging on her lips unsaid.

“The best view for the firework show is not from the mainland. It’s from Air Temple Island. We’re heading there now.”

At the mention of Air Temple Island, the metalbender was whipped into a state of alert, snapping her head towards Korra and then upfront towards the tall shape that peeked over the horizon. The Avatar peered from the corner of the eye, noticing the tension in Kuvira’s countenance and the silence that befell over their boat ride once the incessant chattering of the crowds became mere murmurs that vanished in the vastness of the sea. The roar of the motorboat and the splashing of the waves filled the silence until Korra docked with ease at their new destination.

“You’re not much of a chatterbox but you’ve been awfully silent during the whole boat trip. Is there something worrying you? If it’s because of the curfew, I already ensured that it's already been taken care of,” the Avatar inquired as she illuminated their disembarkment with a flame above her palm.

“It’s not that. It’s just…I’m not sure I can explain it or if you would understand…” the metalbender murmured, her eyes locked in on the silver speckled sea.

“Try me.”

Kuvira’s eyes still averted Korra’s but the Avatar didn’t need to see them visualize the pain stirring within the emerald gaze.

“I don’t think I’m ready to face the others. Tenzin and his family, your friends. One thing is to enjoy the opportunity that is allowing me some degree of freedom to do something to counter the destruction of my actions, but to join the people that were affected by my actions in celebration is just — ”She halted abruptly, the last words voiced with a hoarser lilt of her usual alto.

A hand came to land over the dark-haired bender's shoulder. Kuvira dared to meet the Avatar’s azure gaze and there she found the warmth that had become familiar over the years.

"After I recovered part of the strength I lost from the Red Lotus poisoning, for a time I didn’t want to be around the people that knew me and cared for me. I felt inadequate, incomplete. I did a lot of traveling on my own. I wandered in search of what was lost inside me. I was finally able to find it where I least expected and with the unlikeliest of people.” Korra’s mind momentarily journeyed back to the days spent under Toph Beifong’s harsh tutelage at the Foggy Swamp and Zaheer’s unexpected admonitions which triggered her complete recovery.

“I don’t regret the journey. It had to be done on my own terms, even if I do regret the pain that it caused the people I love while I was gone.”

“I see…”

Korra paused, measuring her next words carefully in her mind. “Have you had any contact with Suyin and the others? The times I’ve visited I didn’t want to bring out the subject while you were still dealing with your own feelings but it has been years now and I don’t remember you mentioning anything.”

The corners of Kuvira’s mouth lifted in a soft smile. “It has taken a while but my letters have been getting responses lately. Not a lot, but it has been a start.”

“Really? That is great news then.” Korra beamed.

“I believe that finding out you were visiting me in prison and the conditional release might have influenced their change of heart.”

“I’m really glad for you. Just because you made mistakes and don’t get me wrong, what you did was pretty serious, but even then, that doesn’t mean they have to define you for the rest of your life. It will take time and spirits know how damned stubborn Beifongs are, but the fact that Su’s writing you back means you might finally make peace with them.”

“That’s what I hope too. Time has an interesting way to put things into perspective and I’ve had plenty of it to think of what happened and how I would like to make things better.”

A faint whistling sound from afar captured Naga’s attention and she barked enthusiastically and Korra’s eyes opened wide.

“It’s starting! Come on, I have just the right spot to see the show and I don’t mean from Air Temple. Follow me!” Korra clasped Kuvira’s hand as she practically dragged her through a steep rocky path that led to a secluded wide promontory that overlooked the sea and offered a commanding unobstructed view of Yue Bay.

“This is sort of my hiding place when I want to meditate or just have a moment for myself. Tenzin’s kids are always following me so I have to keep switching spots. Meelo hasn’t found this one yet but I’m pretty sure it’s a matter of time until he finds out.” 

Kuvira’s eyes darted to silhouettes in bright colors that moved swiftly under the cover of the night.

“Uh, Korra, I think he already did.”

Standing with arms crossed over his chest and a big, smug smile, Meelo was already standing at Korra’s once secluded spot. She rolled her eyes while groaning audibly. At least this time it was only Meelo and Ikki. Rohan was conspicuously and blessedly absent this time, which led Korra to suspect these two had slipped away from their parent’s sight and had left their baby brother in Jinora and Kai’s care.

“We’ve told you before, you might be the Avatar but we know every inch of this island. You should just give up on trying to escape us.”

“Really, you had to find this place too,” the Avatar protested as a pout hanged comically from her lower lip.

“This location is perfect to watch the fireworks display. Of course, we were going to find it! Besides, Ikki saw the huge white mass that is Naga when you arrived so it was just a matter of following you to get here.”

“You two are way too sneaky.”

Meelo saw Kuvira standing beside Naga as if attempting to make herself as unnoticeable as possible. “Is she going to watch the show with us?” he inquired while pointing at her almost dismissively. His sister was peeking at her with more curiosity than apprehension.

Korra stood in front of the airbender with both hands placed at her waist.

“Yeah, do you have any problems with that?”

Meelo offered Kuvira a steely glance as if studying her.

“You’re not going to try anything suspicious, are you?”

“Of course not!” affirmed the metalbender vehemently.

Meelo huffed as he nodded approvingly.

“I’ll allow it then, but just for this time. Understood?”

“Loud and clear!” Kuvira replied in her most formal tone as Korra attempted to unsuccessfully muffle a snicker while Ikki rolled her eyes comically muttering something under her breath. Naga barked again at the sound of multiple whistles and blasts, prompting Korra and Kuvira to settle over a large rock which suspiciously looked like it had been earthbended in place, with the airbender kids in tow. Kuvira somehow ended up sandwiched between a smiling Ikki on one side and a vigilant Meelo on the other.

Soon all of them, Naga included, sat enraptured by the spectacle of shimmering colors sparkling brightly across the night sky. Kuvira noticed the expectant smile in Korra’s face and suspected that there was something more than just the fireworks. The lights that were projected over Avatar Aang’s monument now flickered as if in attuned to their own musical pace. Tall columns of water burst from the sea at each corner of the monument, rising high with each blast, bathing in the colors of the lights and the reflection from the moon above.

“This is beautiful,” Kuvira whispered to herself as she followed with her sight the alternating rhythms of the water and the fireworks.

“First time?” Ikki observed Kuvira’s awestruck face intrigued.

“It is. I wasn’t expecting this” the metalbender replied softly.

“Korra had the same face you have right now the first time she saw the show” Meelo added with a snobbish inflection.

“Thanks for the reminder Meelo. I believe you also had a similar expression when you saw Naga the first time or was it fright?” Korra retorted with a smirk to which the boy replied by sticking out his tongue.

“The first time I saw a fireworks display was soon after Suyin took me in. The festival was the highlight of our summers when we grew up. The fireworks show was Opal’s favorite and Baatar would always end up sharing so much cotton candy with me that we both would end up with a stomach ache.”

“It sounds like you had a lot of fun” commented Ikki as she kept her eyes glued to the sky.

“I did,” Kuvira replied longingly as her gaze followed the trajectory of a rocket that flew far above the others until it exploded in a blast of gold and red. Memories of more carefree, innocent days flooded her mind. For an instant, she was that eight-year-old girl again, the one that had been utterly mesmerized by the cheerful tunes and the bright colors, but most of all, by a sense of warmth and safety that brought comfort to her heart.

Korra caught how the metalbender was quick to wipe an incipient tear and smiled inwardly. Perhaps this hadn’t been the most harebrained of her ideas after all she concluded. The sight of the unlikely group that ended up gathering more by coincidence than by intention to watch the closing spectacle of the city’s summer festival was a memory that she was sure would remain indelible with her. And with Kuvira too.

-oOo-

Oogi landed over the designated urban Air Bison landing zone with a small flourish. Korra had tried to dissuade Tenzin’s kids to stay behind to no avail, and now they had joined her in delivering Kuvira back to the detention center. The Avatar had been pleasantly surprised that Ikki had managed to maintain small talk with the sometimes taciturn metalbender, making their journey back an amenable one. Meelo proposed assigning himself to lead the airbender spirit corps working with the construction and repair teams to as he described in his own words “keep an eye on Kuvira” which prompted Korra to laugh and then remind him that it wasn’t up to him but Tenzin, but she didn’t doubt he would eventually get his way.

“We didn’t get to enjoy the whole day but I hope this made up for the lost hours.”

“I really did. Korra, thank you a lot for this. It really means a lot to me.”

“Don’t mention it. Next time I’ll make sure to do the paperwork thing in advance. Don’t expect fancy fireworks shows though. That only happens once a year and I don’t think you’ll like to wait that long.”

“Whatever works with your busy schedule Avatar. Oh, I need to return these,” Kuvira added as she pointed at her loaned clothes.

“Keep them, for the next day off. I really doubt Asami would even realize we raided her closet” Korra commented with a wink.

“It might be weird if I meet her with her own clothes though.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll let her know beforehand. Well, ready to go home, kids?”

A litany of “oohs” and lamentations erupted from Ikki and Meelo in tandem.

“Can we come with you for Kuvira’s next day off?” asked Ikki. “I had a lot of fun tonight and I really liked learning about Zaofu.”

“If Asami’s gonna be there, Korra will be way too distracted by being all lovey-dovey and you will need someone strong to keep this one at bay,” affirmed Meelo. Kuvira raised an eyebrow amused.

“Hmmm, what do you think Kuvira? It’s your day off after all.”

Their proposal had genuinely taken her aback but she was quick to hide her surprise and instead mimicked Korra’s playful grin.

“Sure, I don’t see why they can’t join us. And like Meelo said, you’ll be distracted by Asami.”

“Hey!” the Avatar protested but the airbender kids and Kuvira had all joined in raucous laughter and she had no choice but to join them.

“Till the next one then” Korra exclaimed as she leaped over Oogi. Meelo quickly followed suit with a flourish and before Ikki jumped to join the others, she unexpectedly gave Kuvira a quick hug. The metalbender waved the group goodbye as they soared across the sky until they were no bigger than a dot. Her cheeks ached from the sustained smile she had been unable and unwilling to erase from her face.

Kuvira didn’t realize she had been humming a childhood folkloric tune until she saw the befuddled expression in the visage of the guard that was escorting her back to the detention facility. She chuckled inwardly as she led her steps straight to her room. As she walked the long corridor, she noticed that some of her fellow detainees were talking enthusiastically in the rec room while enjoying treats that she recognized as festival fare. At least they too got to enjoy some of the bounties of the fair as she had.

Once at her room, as the former captain began gathering her personal items for a much-needed shower, she caught sight of a white envelope under her door that apparently she had missed on her way in. Her heart skipped a beat when she read the name and the sender’s address: from Zaofu. It was a letter from Suyin and judging from its bulk, it appeared to have pictures inside. It was the first time since she was held in custody that she had received photos or anything remotely personal from the city that years ago she had considered her home.

With a mixture of apprehension and anticipation dueling inside her, she carefully ripped open the envelope and found a letter and as she had guessed, a picture. The moment she saw the image, a sob intermingled with a chuckle escaped her lips. She knew exactly when the picture had been taken but couldn’t remember how. Suddenly, she recalled that Baatar Sr. had been tinkering with a camera the whole day and he had kept himself busy taking candid pictures of everyone, and both Baatar and she had pestered him to take pictures of the fish scooping booth. In this picture, black and white with some sepia seeping at the corners, Kuvira saw herself in summer festival attire with her glance directed upwards as Suyin fixed her braid with a tender glance. The picture had been carefully protected by a letter-sized sheet of paper. The paper was empty save for a brief scribbling but the short sentence penned in Suyin’s elegant handwriting held more meaning that any long-winded epistle could ever have. With it, an incipient hope of brighter days ahead was kindled.

“To summer and the promise of new beginnings. Suyin.” 

_ Fin _

**Author's Note:**

> This year I was given the opportunity to participate alongside some of the most talented artists in the TLoK fandom to create what became the Kuvira Zine, and it's truly a thing if beauty. This is our love letter to this character that keeps inspiring and intriguing us and I hope you enjoy my contribution to the cause.


End file.
